Embassy conference: New Safety

The conference, held at Microlab in Eindhoven, was packed to capacity. Attendees perched on windowsills, and chairs were brought in from the hallway to accommodate everyone. “The involvement of so many diverse organisations brought a lot of energy. It felt like we were starting something together that transcends a single conference,” Schuring remarked. Tabo Goudswaard echoed this sentiment, saying, “It was wonderful to see participation from such a wide range of organisations. We were pleasantly surprised by this.”

Innovation and humanity in judicial institutions

Wim Saris, Director-General of the Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI), opened the conference by outlining the challenges facing judicial institutions. He described the pressures on these organisations and emphasised the need for innovative working methods. “I highlighted that the need for innovation at DJI has never been greater,” Saris later shared on LinkedIn. “Our institutions are full, with nearly 4,000 people on the waiting list and 180 awaiting forensic psychiatric treatment. Simply allocating more money for more staff is no longer the solution. As Churchill would say, ‘We have run out of labour force; now we have to think.’ Things must change: fewer people, safer practices, greater humanity, and more job satisfaction. This requires a redesign of our work and the creation of a psychologically safe organisation. A design-led approach is essential—not the quickest route, but a sustainable one.”

Safety ritual

Following Saris’s opening, artist Martijn Engelbregt performed a ‘safety ritual’. “It was a powerful experience,” said Tabo. “The ritual challenged participants to step out of their comfort zones to truly see one another. Through a moment of silence followed by contact with someone they didn’t know, we collectively created a space of safety. These types of interventions show that safety isn’t solely about rules and control but also about human connection and the courage to be vulnerable. It serves as a reminder that genuine safety arises when we remain open to one another and the discomfort that often accompanies this openness.”

Escape the Dutch: Daniël Holler and social safety

This idea aligned with Escape the Dutch, a project by Daniël Holler, a recent graduate of the Design Academy. Holler examined neighbourhood watch groups on WhatsApp, exploring how they sometimes foster prejudice and social exclusion. “You see that behaviours perceived as safe within your home, such as commenting via an app, can inadvertently create insecurity,” Holler explained. His project, which was both humorous and thought-provoking, encouraged the audience to reflect on the impact of such groups on neighbourhood cohesion.

“Escape the Dutch offers a fresh, sometimes confronting perspective,” said Tabo. “It makes you think about what social safety truly means and our responsibilities within it.”

Lookback-method: Preventing knife incidents in Amsterdam

Amy Goris of Greenberry introduced the Lookback Method, which was developed to prevent or reduce knife-related incidents among Amsterdam’s youth. This approach maps timelines of social interactions to provide insight into the roots of violent incidents. “Implementing this in the safety sector was not easy and took time, but Amy and her colleagues persevered, resulting in valuable insights,” Tabo noted. “Amy’s presentation demonstrated this beautifully.”

Kun je dit maken?! – Social safety at Rijkswaterstaat

‘Kun je dit maken?!’ (‘Can you make this?!’)—a title open to multiple interpretations—was the name of the first initiative launched by Rijkswaterstaat under the banner Rijksmakerstaat. This project was also featured at the conference. “Being a reliable government organisation doesn’t just mean executing grand plans,” Rijkswaterstaat reflected on LinkedIn after the event. “It also means navigating change and uncertainty while investing in relationships—with others, with each other, and with nature. This is something you must create together, hence: Rijksmakerstaat.”

The first project explored workplace safety. For six months, 25 Rijkswaterstaat employees collaborated with social designers under the leadership of Jaap Warmenhoven and Marjolein Vermeulen.

Tabo Goudswaard remarked, “The Rijksmakerstaat project shows how Rijkswaterstaat is working towards reliability while going beyond the technical aspects of their work. By collaborating with artists and social designers, they gain new perspectives on challenges around workplace safety and cooperation. What’s remarkable about this initiative is its focus on handling change and uncertainty, and strengthening relationships. Such initiatives require courage, honesty, and a willingness to listen and learn from one another.”

The honest conversation: Safety in the judicial domain

A key moment of the conference was ‘The Honest Conversation’, where leaders from the judicial sector, including Wim Saris, engaged in a fishbowl discussion. In the inner circle, employees shared their workplace safety challenges, while the outer circle reflected on how a design-led approach could address them.

Olof Schuring described the session: “The Honest Conversation wasn’t a feel-good showcase, but an open, sometimes confronting exchange. The fishbowl setup, with an inner and outer circle, allowed leaders and employees to speak freely about their experiences. The fact that the Director-General joined the inner circle created a unique dynamic, enabling real challenges and obstacles to surface. This openness is crucial for achieving meaningful change.”

This approach aligns with the idea of using design to create contexts where transformation can occur. “Designing change also means designing the environment in which it can happen.”

Safe Together: Art and vulnerable groups

Towards the end of the conference, Daniël Krikke presented his exhibition, ‘Safe Together’, which gave voice to vulnerable groups discussing safety, reintegration, and polarisation. Arkarlo, an experiential expert who grew up “in organised crime,” shared how participating in this exhibition impacted him.

“Safe Together raises the question of how we create safety for those who have never experienced it themselves,” Tabo said. “Daniël collaborates with artists, including experiential experts like ex-offenders, to give a voice to stories of reintegration and polarisation through their art. One participant asked, ‘How do you create safety when you’ve never known it yourself?’ The project challenges us to think about building a society with space for recovery and understanding.”

“The closing session with Daniël Krikke and Arkarlo, who shared his story as an artist, was deeply moving,” Olof added. “He wasn’t presented as an ex-offender but as an artist telling his story. Ultimately, it’s about enabling him to be who he truly is—that’s the goal.”